Spring Side or River Side: You decide

Navigating the new Silver Springs State Park

Patrons enjoyed springtime temperatures kayaking from Silver Springs State Park down the Silver River on Sunday March 9, 2014. The park has added new picnic tables, kayak storage, fencing and rents single and tandem kayaks. The river was alive with it's wildlife including alligators, many species of birds, turtles, fish and even rhesus monkeys basking in the sun enjoying beautiful temperatures.

Lisa Crigar / Ocala Star-Banner

By Lucy TobiasCorrespondent

Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 12:06 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 12:06 p.m.

After the 4,400-acre Silver River State Park fused with the 242-acre Silver Springs attraction seven months ago, the merger gave birth to a new name, Silver Springs State Park, and a new vocabulary for visitors.

Facts

If you go

Silver Springs State Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sundown. Admission is $8 per vehicle, for two to eight people; $5 single occupant; $2 per person for walk up or cycle; $4 to launch canoe or kayak.

Four words you need to know to get where you want to go: "Spring Side" and "River Side."

The Spring Side entrance is at 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd. The River Side entrance is at 1425 NE 58th St. A third entrance is an equestrian area, also on State Road 40, about 1 mile east of the Spring Side entrance. Admission at any entrance gets you in free at the others.

From Oct. 1, 2013, the date of the merger, through March 31, overnight guests at Silver Springs State Park totaled 28,780. There were 158,976 daytime guests.

Visitor comments about the combined park have been positive.

"We wanted to see Silver Springs," said Don Atkins, of Florence, Ala., who visited the park recently with his wife, Linda. "Turning it into a state park is a good use of state money."

Don and Linda visited Silver Springs separately as children with their families. Decades later, this was their first time back and first time visiting together.

Peter and Patricia Harding from Essex, United Kingdom, relaxed in camp chairs near the River Trail. They have been visiting Florida for 20 years and prefer state parks.

"We always aim for state parks because we know they will be nice," Patricia Harding said.

"It is great as a state park if they maintain it," said Donna Tyler of Bellwood, Penn., while rocking on the viewing dock overlooking the headwaters of Silver Springs. "It still looks nice. Haven't been here since our honeymoon 40 years ago. I can't believe they still have the same glass-bottomed boats and the same captains."

The venture is a public/private partnership. Silver Springs Management LLC handles the glass-bottom boats and canoe and kayak rentals, along with the gift shops, special events and concerts.

While the glass-bottom boats remain, all the animals are in new homes.

"We still have plenty of wildlife, just not in cages," said Park Manager Sally Lieb. "Everyone who visits is pretty well pleased. If they want a zoo, we redirect them to Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park."

New on the Spring Side is a canoe launch on the Fort King Waterway (accessed from the parking lot): a launch fee of $4 applies if you bring your own canoe. Rentals are by the hour. The site is slightly removed from the springs in an effort to keep glass-bottom boats and canoes somewhat separate. Launching is easy, but it does mean a change in paddling directions.

"We've used Wayside Park and the River Side, this is our first time here; not sure if we'll like it," said Kim Kinggard of Palm Beach Gardens.

Starting at the headwaters means floating downstream, but the return means paddling upstream.

At the River Side launches, paddling is the reverse – going upstream at first, floating downstream on the way back. There is no launch fee on the River Side, but there is a 1/2-mile hike to the launch site on the Silver River.

When it comes to paddling vs. beauty, the view wins out.

"It so pretty here, the beauty is so distracting, we'll be fine," Kinggard said as she and her friends prepped their kayaks for launch.

Walkers and joggers will find a new 2.5-mile trail that connects the Spring and River sides. The trail begins just past the canoe launch on the Fort King Waterway.

Sill, more education needs to be done to connect the two formerly separate areas in the public's mind.

"A letter to the editor recently said how nice it would be to have cabins at Silver Springs State Park," Lieb noted. "But we do already have cabins and camping. We want people to realize it is all one park."

On the River Side are 10 luxury cabins, a full facility campground and a primitive campground, along with trails, a cracker village and the Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center.

The 75 members of the Friends of Silver Springs State Park have stepped up their contributions recently, including helping with a park education center in the shops area on the Spring Side and gardening.

"We're taking out things that are non-native, but we will leave the azaleas that are part of the historic Silver Springs gardens," said Jane Kaufman, president of the group.

The Friends also are adding a new event to the calendar of offerings, which include lecture and ranger programs as well as special events.

"We're going to have a 5K fun run/walk in October," Kaufman said. "It will start at Silver Springs and go over to the River Side. It is a brand new venture and a good fundraiser."

<p>After the 4,400-acre Silver River State Park fused with the 242-acre Silver Springs attraction seven months ago, the merger gave birth to a new name, Silver Springs State Park, and a new vocabulary for visitors.</p><p>Four words you need to know to get where you want to go: "Spring Side" and "River Side."</p><p>The Spring Side entrance is at 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd. The River Side entrance is at 1425 NE 58th St. A third entrance is an equestrian area, also on State Road 40, about 1 mile east of the Spring Side entrance. Admission at any entrance gets you in free at the others.</p><p>From Oct. 1, 2013, the date of the merger, through March 31, overnight guests at Silver Springs State Park totaled 28,780. There were 158,976 daytime guests.</p><p>Visitor comments about the combined park have been positive.</p><p>"We wanted to see Silver Springs," said Don Atkins, of Florence, Ala., who visited the park recently with his wife, Linda. "Turning it into a state park is a good use of state money."</p><p>Don and Linda visited Silver Springs separately as children with their families. Decades later, this was their first time back and first time visiting together.</p><p>Peter and Patricia Harding from Essex, United Kingdom, relaxed in camp chairs near the River Trail. They have been visiting Florida for 20 years and prefer state parks.</p><p>"We always aim for state parks because we know they will be nice," Patricia Harding said.</p><p>"It is great as a state park if they maintain it," said Donna Tyler of Bellwood, Penn., while rocking on the viewing dock overlooking the headwaters of Silver Springs. "It still looks nice. Haven't been here since our honeymoon 40 years ago. I can't believe they still have the same glass-bottomed boats and the same captains."</p><p>The venture is a public/private partnership. Silver Springs Management LLC handles the glass-bottom boats and canoe and kayak rentals, along with the gift shops, special events and concerts.</p><p>While the glass-bottom boats remain, all the animals are in new homes.</p><p>"We still have plenty of wildlife, just not in cages," said Park Manager Sally Lieb. "Everyone who visits is pretty well pleased. If they want a zoo, we redirect them to Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park."</p><p>New on the Spring Side is a canoe launch on the Fort King Waterway (accessed from the parking lot): a launch fee of $4 applies if you bring your own canoe. Rentals are by the hour. The site is slightly removed from the springs in an effort to keep glass-bottom boats and canoes somewhat separate. Launching is easy, but it does mean a change in paddling directions.</p><p>"We've used Wayside Park and the River Side, this is our first time here; not sure if we'll like it," said Kim Kinggard of Palm Beach Gardens.</p><p>Starting at the headwaters means floating downstream, but the return means paddling upstream.</p><p>At the River Side launches, paddling is the reverse – going upstream at first, floating downstream on the way back. There is no launch fee on the River Side, but there is a 1/2-mile hike to the launch site on the Silver River.</p><p>When it comes to paddling vs. beauty, the view wins out.</p><p>"It so pretty here, the beauty is so distracting, we'll be fine," Kinggard said as she and her friends prepped their kayaks for launch.</p><p>Walkers and joggers will find a new 2.5-mile trail that connects the Spring and River sides. The trail begins just past the canoe launch on the Fort King Waterway.</p><p>Sill, more education needs to be done to connect the two formerly separate areas in the public's mind.</p><p>"A letter to the editor recently said how nice it would be to have cabins at Silver Springs State Park," Lieb noted. "But we do already have cabins and camping. We want people to realize it is all one park."</p><p>On the River Side are 10 luxury cabins, a full facility campground and a primitive campground, along with trails, a cracker village and the Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center.</p><p>The 75 members of the Friends of Silver Springs State Park have stepped up their contributions recently, including helping with a park education center in the shops area on the Spring Side and gardening.</p><p>"We're taking out things that are non-native, but we will leave the azaleas that are part of the historic Silver Springs gardens," said Jane Kaufman, president of the group.</p><p>The Friends also are adding a new event to the calendar of offerings, which include lecture and ranger programs as well as special events.</p><p>"We're going to have a 5K fun run/walk in October," Kaufman said. "It will start at Silver Springs and go over to the River Side. It is a brand new venture and a good fundraiser."</p>